Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh is likely to get $600 million budgetary support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the terms of the loan will be finalised later.
The proposed loan is still at the discussion stage and it is not been finalised yet.
Planning Minister MA Mannan made the statement to reporters after a meeting with the outgoing JICA Country Director Yuho Hayakawa and his replacement Ichiguchi Tomohide in the city’s Planning Ministry on Monday.
“We are expecting that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is likely to provide $600 million as budget support. But it is still at the discussion level and has not been finalised yet. Since I am holding responsibility in a government position, I know the matter is discussed,” the Planning Minister said.
Regarding the budget support, Mannan said, “The government has hinted by asking for budget support and it is in process.”
Bangladesh will get the budget support after completion all the processing as there some laws that must be followed in getting loans, he said.
When asked for details regarding loan, the minister said, “I am not the right place to discuss this as the ERD will work on it. Since I am in the government, I have discussed it regarding the loan. The atmosphere is very positive. JICA will give us $600 to &700 million as budget support.”
An Economic Zone has been establishing in Araihazar with Japanese funding, he said, adding that JICA wants to work there.
The matter is being discussed that the project will soon be placed before the ECNEC meeting, he added. Besides, Japan is also working on Matarbari coal power project too.
“We are more interested in rural infrastructure development and JICA is willing to work in this sector. We want to do more in our river and seaports. JICA wants to work more in the infrastructure development sector. They want to work with railway and sea sector too,” Mannan said in reply to another query.
The newly appointed JICA Chief Representative in Bangladesh, Ichiguchi Tomohide, said, ‘I am not new to Bangladesh and the country is known to me. I have worked at JICA’s head office on Bangladesh desk. I was involved in the Matarbari project. We hope, our friendly and cooperative relations will increase further.”
